Ever since he was a young player growing up in Cleveland, Dave Ellett always liked playing defense and had superior offensive skills to go with it. While playing at Bowling Green University, Ellett quarterbacked the team's power-play unit and had 54 points in just 43 games on 15 goals and 39 assists.

In the 1982 NHL Entry Draft, Ellett was chosen 75th overall in round four by the Winnipeg Jets. When he graduated from school in the spring of 1984, he joined the Jets that fall and made the roster, playing in all 80 games and contributing 38 points. During six full seasons in Winnipeg, Ellett was tremendously resilient, appearing in no fewer than 68 games each season and dressing for at least 75 games on five occasions.

The Jets general manager John Ferguson, and head scout Les Binkley, had played on the same team as Ellett's father, Bob, back in the 1960s with the Cleveland Barons and had kept a close watch on the younger Ellett's hockey development through the minor ranks.

Early in 1990-91, Ellett was sent to the Toronto Maple Leafs where he would spend the better part of seven years. The Leafs put together two solid runs at the Stanley Cup in 1993 and 1994 with the likes of Ellett, Doug Gilmour, and Jamie Macoun providing some much-needed leadership. Both years the Leafs advanced to the Conference finals, only to be turned back. In the 1994 playoffs, Ellett averaged a point per game in 18 post-season contests.

With 20 games left in the 1996-97, Ellett was shipped to the New Jersey Devils. He then moved on as a free agent to the Boston Bruins, where he played for two seasons. In 136 games with the Bruins, Ellett was held to just three goals. Ellett's final year in the NHL was in 1999-00, when in 52 games, he had ten points as a member of the St. Louis Blues.

REGULAR SEASON

PLAYOFFS

Season

Club

League

GP

G

A

TP

PIM

+/-

GP

G

A

TP

PIM

1981-82

Ottawa Jr. Senators

ON-Jr.A

47

8

33

41

118

1982-83

Bowling Green University

CCHA

40

4

13

17

34

1983-84

Bowling Green University

CCHA

43

15

39

54

96

1984-85

Winnipeg Jets

NHL

80

11

27

38

85

+20

8

1

5

6

4

1985-86

Winnipeg Jets

NHL

80

15

31

46

96

-38

3

0

1

1

0

1986-87

Winnipeg Jets

NHL

78

13

31

44

53

+19

10

0

8

8

2

1987-88

United States

Can-Cup

1987-88

Winnipeg Jets

NHL

68

13

45

58

106

-8

5

1

2

3

10

1988-89

Winnipeg Jets

NHL

75

22

34

56

62

-18

1988-89

Canada

WEC-A

10

4

2

6

14

1989-90

Winnipeg Jets

NHL

77

17

29

46

96

-15

7

2

0

2

6

1990-91

Winnipeg Jets

NHL

17

4

7

11

6

-4

1990-91

Toronto Maple Leafs

NHL

60

8

30

38

69

-4

1991-92

Toronto Maple Leafs

NHL

79

18

33

51

95

-13

1992-93

Toronto Maple Leafs

NHL

70

6

34

40

46

+19

21

4

8

12

8

1993-94

Toronto Maple Leafs

NHL

68

7

36

43

42

+6

18

3

15

18

31

1994-95

Toronto Maple Leafs

NHL

33

5

10

15

26

-6

7

0

2

2

0

1995-96

Toronto Maple Leafs

NHL

80

3

19

22

59

-10

6

0

0

0

4

1996-97

Toronto Maple Leafs

NHL

56

4

10

14

34

-8

1996-97

New Jersey Devils

NHL

20

2

5

7

6

+2

10

0

3

3

10

1997-98

Boston Bruins

NHL

82

3

20

23

67

+3

6

0

1

1

6

1998-99

Boston Bruins

NHL

54

0

6

6

25

+11

8

0

0

0

4

1999-00

St. Louis Blues

NHL

52

2

8

10

12

-4

7

0

1

1

2

NHL Totals

1129

153

415

568

985

116

11

46

57

87

CCHA Second All-Star Team (1984) NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team (1984)
Played in NHL All-Star Game (1989, 1992)

Traded to Toronto by Winnipeg with Paul Fenton for Ed Olczyk and Mark Osborne, November 10, 1990. Traded to New Jersey by Toronto with Doug Gilmour and New Jersey's 3rd round pick (previously acquired, New Jersey selected Andre Lakos) in 1999 NHL Draft for Jason Smith, Steve Sullivan and the rights to Alyn McCauley, February 25, 1997. Signed as a free agent by Boston, July 29, 1997. Signed as a free agent by St. Louis, October 22, 1999. Officially announced retirement, September 8, 2000.